THE 


REPORT 

OF  A 

COMMITTEE 

APPOINTED  to  EXPLORE 

THE 

WESTERN  WATERS 

IN  THE  STATE  OF  NEW-YORK: 

FOR  THE 

PURPOSE 

OP 

PROSECUTING 


THE 


U.S  Gj  INLAND  LOCK  NAVIGATION. 


ALBANY; 
Printed  by  BARBER  and  SOUTHWICK: 

M,DCC,XCII. 


izx  IGtbrta 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

Because  it  has  been  said 
" Sver'thing  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


REPORT. 

The  Committee  appointed  on  the  14th  of  August  by  tne  Directors 
of  the  Western  Inland  Lock  Navigation  Company,  in  the  State 
of  New  York,  to  examine  the  State  of  the  Mohawk  River,  from 
the  Town  of  Schenectady  to  Fort  Schuyler,  Beg  Leave  to 
report  : 

That  on  Monday,  the  20th  ult.  they  repaired  to  Schenectady, 
where  they  were  joined,  on  the  21st,  by  Mr.  Moses  De  Witt,  as 
Surveyor,  with  whom,  together  with  Mr  Nesbit,  and  Mr. 
Lightall,  a  Carpenter,  they  proceeded  in  a  batteau  to  fulfill,  as 
far  as  they  were  capable,  the  object  of  their  appointment.  The 
result  of  their  observations  is  contained  in  the  following  detail 
o£  a  survey  of  the  Mohawk  River,  taken  when  the  water  therein 
was  less  than  has  been  known  within  the  memory  of  the  eldest 
person  now  living ;  and  consequently  the  impediments,  to  the 
navigation  thereof,  as  great  as  they  will  probably  be  at  any  future 


period,  without  artificial  aid. 

Miles. 

From  Albany  to  Schenectady   16 

From  Schenectady  to 
N°   1  In  good  water,  one  and  a  half  mile,  there  a  rapid, 
over  which  the  water  runs  one  and  a  half  feet 
deep,  the  bottom  small  stones  and  gravel  j  deep 
water  above  the  rapid  :   1  1-2 

2  On  in  good  water,  one  and  a  half  mile,  to  Daniel 
Tolls,  there  a  rapid,  on  which  one  and  a  half  feet 
water ;  bottom  loose  stones,  deep  above  it,  an 

island  near  the  South  shore  :   1  1-2 

3  On  in  good  water,  one  quarter  of  a  mile,  to  a 
sharp  rapid,  on  which  not  more  than  one  foot  of  > 
water,  bottom  loose  stones,  the  water  above, 

deep  :   1-4 

4  On  to  Anthony  Van  Slykes,  in  good  water,  one 
mile,  there  a  rapid,  water  deep  above  it :   1 


K. 

1088  INLAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION. 


N°  5  On  in  good  water,  one  and  a  half  mile,  then  a 
sharp  rapid,  one  and  a  half  feet  water,  bottom 
loose  stones  and  gravel,  water  shallow  above  it, 

current  on  the  rapid  very  strong  :   1  1-2 

o  On  one  quarter  of  a  mile  to  Jacobus  Swarts,  in 
shallow  water,  there  a  small  rapid,  bottom,  loose 
stones,  water  deep  above  it :   1-4 

7  On  one  half  a  mile,  to  John  Mabey's  water  good, 

here  lay  the  night  of  the  21st  of  August   1-2 

8  On  one  and  a  half  mile  in  good  water,  then  a 
rapid  at  Sias  Swarts  :  This  rapid  is  one  quarter 
of  a  mile  long,  great  velocity  of  water,  depth  one 
and  a  half  feet,  bottom,  stones  and  gravel,  water, 

above  the  rapid,  deep  :   1  3-4 

9  On  two  miles,  current  gentle,  bottom  level, 
shallow  all  the  way,  not  more  than  from  one  to 
one  and  a  half  feet  water  :   2 

10  On  two  and  a  half  miles  to  Lewis  Groots,  pass- 
ing two  small  rapids  with  sufficient  water. ...  21-2 

1 1  On  one  and  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  Willow 
Rapid  :  this  rapid  extends  half  a  mile,  has  a 
sufficient  depth  of  water  ;  the  velocity  of  the 
water  so  great  as  to  render  the  ascent  for  large 
batteaux  very  difficult :  ,   >     1  3-4 

12  On  one  half  a  mile  to  the  late  Sir  William  John- 
son's first  settlement  oh  the  South  side  of  the 
river,  small  rapids,  but  shallow,  the  greater  part 

of  the  distance  not  more  than  one  foot  of  water  :  1-2 

13  On  one  half  mile  to  the  creek  on  which  Veeder's 
grist-mill  is  erected,  shallow  and  small  rapids, 

not  more  than  one  foot  of  water  :   1-2 

14  On  one  half  mile  to  the  lime-kiln  the  same  as 

12  and  13   1-2 

1 5  On  one  quarter  mile  good  water,  then  a  rapid, 
sharp  and  very  shallow  bottom,  loose  stones, 
little  water  above  it,  the  rapid  one  quarter  of  a 

mile  long  :   1-2 


INLAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION.  1089 

N°  16  On  one  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  house  late  Guy 

Johnson's,  rapid  and  shallow,   1-4 

17  On  about  3  1-2  miles  to  the  beginning  of  deep 
water  above  or  opposite  the  mouth  of  Schohara 
Creek;  in  all  this  distance  continued  rapids,  so 
shallow  that  an  empty  batteau  must  be  drawn 
up;  the  river  wide,  with  several  islands,  the 
bottom  generally  loose  stone,  gravel  and  sand,     3  1-2 

18  On  five  miles  to  John  Fonda's,  very  good  water, 
deep  and  gentle;  here  lay  the  night  of  the  22d:  5 

19  On  one  half  mile  to  the  Caughnawaga  rift,  deep, 
incommoded  with  large  rocks:   1-2 

20  On  nine  miles,  in  perfectly  good  water,  current 
gentle,  then  the  rapid  commonly  called  Kettar's 
Rapid,  great  velocity  of  water,  sufficiently  deep, 
obstructed  by  large  rocks,  the  rapid  extends 

about  one  quarter  of  a  mile:   9  1-4 

•    21  On  in  good  water  two  miles  to  a  small  rapid  at 

Bankers;  water  deep:   2 

22  On  one  half  a  mile  to  Colonel  John  Fry's  many 
sand  banks  in  the  river,  easily  removed  to 
deepen  the  channel:   1-2 

23  On  in  good  water  one  mile,  there  a  small  rapid, 
deep  water:   1 

24  On  three  miles  in  good  water,  to  a  small  rapid, 
sufficient  depth  of  water:   3 

25  On  three  miles  to  Mr.  Nellis's,  the  river  shallow, 
bottom  loose  stones  and  gravel,  some  large  de- 
tached rocks;  here  lay  the  night  of  the  23d ...  3 

26  On  two  and  a  half  miles  to  the  ford,  the  rapid 

sharp,  but  smooth,  and  water  sufficient:   2  1-2 

27  On  one  and  a  half  miles  to  Fort  Hendrick,  small 
rapids  and  shallow,  the  bottom  loose  stones  and 
gravel:   1  1-2 

28  On  one  mile  in  good  water  to  John  Van  Dru- 
sen's,  there  two  small  rapids,  water  shallow, 
bottom,  loose  stones  and  gravel,  water  deep 
above  the  rapids:   1 

Vol.  hi.  69 


1090 


U.LAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION. 


N°  29  On  three  and  a  half  mites  to  the  Falls,  the  water 
deep  all  the  way,  current  gentle,  except  at  the 
place  called  the  Haycocks,  where  the  navigation 
is  Sometimes  dangerous,  occasioned  by  about 
one  hundred  rocks:   ...      3  1-2 


From  Schenectady  to  the  Fails  53  miles. 
30  From  the  landing  at  the  foot,  to  the  landing  at 
the  head  of  the  Falls,  is  about  three  quarters  of 


a  mile,  the  height  thirty-nine  feet  two  inches, 
the  ground  stony,  rocky  and  rough ,  proceeded 
the  27th  :   3-4 

31  On  four  miles  in  very  good  water,  then  a  pretty 
strong  rapid,  extending  one  quarter  of  a  mile, 
sufficiently  deep,  gravel  bottom:   4  1-4 

32  On  one  half  mile,  good  water,  to  a  strong  sharp 
rapid,  formerly  called  Orendorff  s  rift,  falls  a  foot 
in  about  eighty  yards  two  feet  water,  a  tine 

gravel  bottom:   1-2 

33  On  one  mile  in  good  water,  then  arrived  at  the 
Wolf  Rift,  extending  about  one  half  mile,  bottom 
fine  gravel,  shallowr,  and  the  channel  crooked, 
occasioned  by  banks  of  gravel  in  the  river: ....      1  1-2 

34  On  to  Fort  Herkimer  three  quarters  of  a  mile, 

good  water,  here  lay  the  night  of  the  27th   3-4 

35  On  to  Fort  Schuyler  as  the  river  runs  about 
forty-five  miles,  in  all  this  extent  a  few  rapids 
and  most  of  these  of  little  consequence,  those 
that  impede  the  navigation  in  very  dry  season 


easily  deepened,  as  the  water  above  them  is  in- 
variably deep,  the  greatest  obstruction  is  from 
timber  in  the  bottom,  and  on  the  sides  of  the 
river,  arrived  on  the  29th   45 

121  3-4 

36  On  across  the  portage  to  Wood  Creek,  eighty- 
one  chains  through  level  grounds  and  swramps,  the 
Mohawk  about  two  feet  higher  than  Wood  Creek. 


INLAND  LGCK-NA\  itJATION.  1091 

Mr.  Schuyler  descended  Wood  Creek  in  a  battcau.  He  found 
the  obstructions  occasioned  by  timber,  or  rapids  from  the  land- 
ing at  the  place  where  Fort  Newport  formerly  stood,  to  that 
where  Fort  Bull  was  erected,  quite  trifling ;  but  the  Creek  so 
shallow  that  the  batteau  could  not  have  passed  without  the  aid 
of  water  previously  collected  in  Mr.  Lynch's  dam.  From  Fort 
Bull  to  where  Canada  Creek  enters  Wood  Creek,  the  rapids  are 
many  and  sharp,  with  little  water,  the  obstructions  from  timber 
trifling.  From  Canada  Creek  he  walked  about  half  a  mile  down  and 
found  a  sufficiency  of  water  ;  From  thence  to  the  Oneida  Lake 
he  was  informed,  the  navigation  was  greatly  impeded  by  timber 
in  the  creek,  as  well  as  by  many  short  turns. 

Having  given  this  detail  of  the  state  of  the  river,  and  the  ob- 
stacles to  a  competent  navigation  thereof,  the  Committee  proceed 
to  give  their  opinion  of  the  works  which  will  be  necessary  to  im- 
prove the  navigation  so  as  to  fulfil  the  views  of  the  Legislature, 
who  incorporated  the  company — the  places  where  these  works 
ought  to  be  erected  j  and  to  estimate  the  probable  expence.  In 
all  this  business  great  allowance  must  be  made  for  defects,  arising 
from  a  want  of  experience,  and  the  assistance  of  persons  practi- 
cally conversant  with  the  subject. 

From  the  preceeding  description  of  the  river,  the  board  will 
readily  perceive  that  from  Schenectady,  to  the  mouth  of  Scho- 
hara  Creek,  the  obstructions  are  many,  from  "the  number  of  rap- 
ids, the  little  water  on  those  rapids  and  above  them.  Several  of 
the  rapids  might  be  deepened  by  erecting  small  stone  dams, 
nearly  across  the  river,  leaving  a  passage  for  boats  ;  but  this 
whilst  it  would  give  a  sufficiency  of  water,  would  so  increase  its 
velocity,  as  to  render  an  ascent  with  a  half  loaded  boat,  of  a  size 
to  carry  three  or  tour  hundred  bushels  of  wheat,  extremely  dif- 
ficult, without  the  aid  of  machinery  to  draw  up  the  boat,  and 
such  machinery  it  wTould  be  difficult  permanently  to  erect,  on 
account  of  the  vast  quantity  of  ice  winch  suddenly  descends 
whenever  the  Schohara  Creek  breaks  up  in  the  spring  of  the 
year,  and  which  would  destroy  such  machinery. 

Some  of  the  rapids  may  be  deepened  by  removing  the  stones 
in  the  bottom,  but  this  can  only  be  successfully  executed  where 
the  water  above  the  rapid  is  deep  ;  for  if  it  is  not,  another  rapid 


1092 


INLAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION. 


is  formed  immediately  above,  by  deepening  the  existing  one. 
But  the  improvement  of  this  part  of  the  river  although  difficult 
yet  it  is  feasible,  and  would  be  easily  so,  without  any  very  ex- 
traordinary expence,  if  the  bed  of  the  river  was  a*  solid  rock  j 
for  then  four  or  five  dams  at  proper  distances  would  create  a  series 
of  ponds,  covering  the  intermediate  rapids;  and  hence  by  means  of 
a  lock  and  guard  gates  at  each  dam,  boats  would  ascend  or  descend 
from  the  one  to  the  other  in  succession,  but  to  drive  piles  to  secure 
all  the  dams  from  blowing,  would  be  so  arduous  and  expensive 
an  operation,  that  a  canal  and  locks  in  the  adjacent  grounds 
would  be  infinitely  preferable.  These  various  difficulties  have 
employed  the  closest  attention  of  your  committee,  and  they 
determined  on  a  re-examination  of  this  part  of  the  river  :  Mr. 
Schuyler  accordingly,  on  his  return  re-viewed  the  river,  and  the 
contiguous  grounds  from  N°  17,  towards  N°  16  :  It  appears  to 
him  practicable,  and  probably  most  effectual,  as  well  as  cheapest, 
to  erect  a  strong  dyke  of  timber  and  stone,  parallel  to  the  bank 
of  the  river,  from  the  deep  water  just  above  the  mouth  of 
Schohara  Creek,  and  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  until  it  shall 
descend  the  river  as  far  as  to  gain  height  sufficient  to  enter  the 
bank  below  the  rocky  part,  which  would  be  at  the  distance  of 
about  1100  yards,  and,  as  the  fall  then  would  be  about  9  feet  a 
lock  might  be  constructed  there,  and  thence  a  canal  might  be 
carried  through  good  grounds  on  the  low  lands,  having  the 
uplands  on  one  side,  until  just  below  Clyne's  tavern,  where  it 
would  again  enter  the  river,  continued  and  confined  by  a  dyke, 
or  embankment  for  about  300  yards  ;  and  then  again  through 
the  low  lands  along  the  foot  of  the  up  lands  to  the  river  near  the 
house  of  the  late  Guy  Johnson,  where  it  would  enter  the  river 
with  one  or  more  locks  :  The  whole  distance  from  N°  17  to  this 
point  is  about  four  miles.  Near  the  point  of  beginning  above 
mentioned,  that  is  near  N°  17,  guard  gates  will  be  requisite,  to 
prevent  the  water  in  high  freshes  from  overwhelming  the  Canal 
and  Locks.  But  as  the  Navigation  between  this  point,  and  that, 
a  little  to  the  westward  of  N°  9,  must  also  be  improved,  to  enable 
loaded  boats  to  pass  in  dry  seasons,  it  necessarily  claimed  atten- 
tion :  Here  Mr.  Schuyler  found  good  banks  on  both  sides  of  the 
river,  at  a  place  a  little  above  N°  9,  the  width  of  the  river  about 


INLAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION. 


1093 


200  yards.  If  a  dam  was  here  erected  across  the  river  about 
nine  feet  high  it  would  probably  deaden  the  water  to  where  the 
Canals  and  Locks  above  mentioned  shall  enter  the  river,  near 
Guy  Johnson's,  and  so  overcome  the  Willow,  and  the  other  rapids 
in  that  space.  If  the  bottom  of  the  river  should  be  rock,  the 
expence  of  the  dam,  would  not  be  great,  if  not,  it  must  be  piled; 
in  either  case  there  is  little  doubt  but  that  it  would  stand  the 
shock  of  the  ice  and  freshes  ■  a  Lock  would  be  requisite  here,  to 
ascend  into,  and  descend  from,  this  dam.  At  some  distance 
below  this  dam  and  lock,  a  canal  may  be  led  from  the  river  on 
the  south  side,  secured  with  guard  gates,  and  run  through  low 
lands,  and  well  sheltered  along  the  foot  of  the  hills  and  re-enter 
the  river  at  Daniel  Peck's,  which  is  supposed  to  be  about  N°  5, 
and  thus,  with  the  necessary  locks,  every  difficulty  would  be 
obviated.  For  want  of  accurate  surveys  and  implements  to 
determine  the  quantity,  and  kind  of  earth  and  stone,  or  rock,  to 
be  removed,  it  is  absolutely  impossible  to  ascertain  with  any 
degree  of  precision,  the  expence  that  would  attend  the  proper 
improvement  of  this  part  of  the  river ;  it  certainly  will  be 
considerable,  probably  not  less  than  £20,000. 

From  Sehohara  Creek  to  the  falls,  it  does  not  appear  necessary 
to  form,  any  Canals,  the  rocks  which  impede  the  passage  of 
boats  in  the  Cauglmawaga,  Kee tar's  and  Haycock's  rapids,  and 
other  places,  will  be  easily  removed  by  rolling  them  to  the 
shore,  or  when  too  large  by  blowing  them.  Those  rapids  which 
are  too  shallow  may  be  deepened  by  removing  the  stone  and 
gravel,  as  the  water  above  is  in  general  deep,  and  if  cuts  are 
made  through  the  gravel  and  sand  banks,  which  obstruct  the 
river  about  Fox's  Creek,  and  a  little  higher  up  the  navigation 
will  be  such  as  the  act  contemplates,  and  the  expence  will  pro- 
bably not  exceed  £2,000. 

The  portage  at  the  Little  Falls  will  be  a  heavy  part  of  the 
work, — the  plan  herewith  delivered  marked  A,  will  exhibit  the 
tract  of  a  Canal, — that  marked  B,1  a  section  thereof;  the  height 
to  be  surmounted  is  thirty-nine  feet  two  inches,  and  will  require 
first  a  strong  work  at  the  point  B,  to  prevent  the  Canal  and 
Locks  from  being  overflowed,  and  damaged  in  high  freshes;  at 

1  These  plans  do  not  accompany  the  pamphlet. 


1094 


INLAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION. 


this  point  two  guard  gates  at  the  distance  of  seventy  feet  from 
each  other  must  be  placed;  the  surface  of  the  ground  here  is 
eight  feet  eight  inches  above  the  level  of  the  water  in  the  river 
above  the  falls,  and,  as  three  feet  ought  to  be  given  for  the  depth 
of  the  water  in  the  Canal,  the  depth  to  be  dug  at  this  point  will 
be  nearly  twelve  feet;  if  to  the  several  heights  marked  on  the 
plan  at  the  other  points  C,  D,  and  E,  three  feet  be  added  we 
shall  have  the  depth  to  be  dug  at  these  points;  at  F  we  gain  the 
level  and  thence  from  F  to  G  only  three  feet  is  to  be  dug.  Many 
large  stones  and  rocks,  and  probably  much  solid  rock  will  be 
found  in  all  the  distance  from  A  to  G  which  is  1666  feet ;  the 
quantity  of  earth,  stone,  and  rock  to  be  removed  in  this  space, 
if  the  Canal  has  ten  feet  base,  will  be  about  242,200  cubic  feet ; 
From  G  to  H  which  is  422  feet  the  Canal  must  be  confined  by  a 
double  dyke,  or  embankment,  about  four  feet  high:  From  H  to 
I  which  is  123  feet,  the  whole  depth  to  be  dug  is  about  4 J  feet, 
and  contains  50S5  cubic  feet:  From  I,  at  various  places  to  the 
water  at  the  bottom  of  the  falls  about  100,000  cubic  feet  of  earth 
must  be  removed,  and  about  1,200  feet  of  a  dyke  to  be  made. 
Ait  estimate  of  the  expence  of  this  work  with  five  Locks,  is  ■ 
annexed,  and  amounts  to  <£10.500. 

From  the  falls  to  Fort  Schuyler,  the  only  impediments  of  any 
amount  are  occasioned  by  the  two  rapids  called  OrendorfFs, 
and  Wolfs  rapids,  these  are  sharp  and  extended,  and  the  river 
here  forms  a  circuit,  which  lengthens  its  course  beyond  a  straight 
line,  from  the  foot  of  the  former  to  the  head  of  the  latter  about 
11-2  miles.  It  is  believed  that  merely  a  cut  through  the  chord 
of  this  circuit  of  about  half  a  mile,  in  easy  digging  and  of  little 
depth;  Would  effectually  surmount  these  obstacles.  The  other 
rapids  Which  are  neither  long,  sharp,  nor  many,  descend  from 
dec])  water  immediately  above  them;  and  may,  therefore  be 
permanently  deepened  at  a  moderate  expence.  The  residue  of 
the  impediments  in  all  this  part  of  the  river  are  occasioned  by 
trees  fallen  into  the  river  either  accidentally,  or  cut  down  by  the 
inhabitants.  The  whole  expence  of  improving  the  river  from 
the  falls  to  Fort  Schuyler  will  prohably  not  exceed  ,£3,000. 

Across  the  portage  at  Fort  Schuyler  a  Canal  must  be  cut ;  the 
length  of  it  will  be  5352  feet  :  This  Canal  will  run  in  the  direc- 


INLAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION. 


1095 


tion  ABC,  see  the  plan  C.  The  water  in  the  Mohawk  at  the 
point  A  is  one  foot  four  inches  and  four  tenths  of  an  inch  higher 
than  at  the  point  C.  Obstructions  by  heaps  of  fallen  trees,  pre- 
vented us  taking  a  section  of  the  Canal  in  the  direction  which  it 
would  run,  but  apparently  the  mean  depth  of  the  earth  to  be 
removed  for  forming  the  Canal  would  be  about  twelve  feet  at 
the  greatest  depth,  hence  about  642,240  cubic  feet  of  earth  must 
be  removed  :  The  ground  though  soft  is  so  much  interwoven  with 
the  roots  of  trees  and  the  work  will  also  be  so  much  retarded 
by  the  influx  ot  water  into  the  Canal  whilst  digging,  that  it  is 
supposed  that  one  man  could  not  remove  above  fifty  cubic  feet 
per  day,  hence  12,845  days  for  one  man  would  be  required  ; 
which  at  4s.  per  day  amounts  to  .£2,569.  In  very  dry  times, 
such  as  the  present,  the  water  in  the  Mohawk  is  so  little  that 
none  can  be  spared  to  increase  the  quantity  in  Wood  Creek.  A 
bulkhead  must  therefore  be  placed  at  the  point  C  precisely  of 
the  height  with  the  level  of  the  water  in  the  Mohawk,  a  boat 
then  in  this  low  state  of  the  river  coming  up  Wood  Creek  to  tke 
point  C  must  unlade,  and  be  drawn  across  the  bulk  head  into 
the  Canal ;  there  reloaded  and  proceed  through  the  Canal  into 
the  Mohawk  River  ;  but  when  the  Mohawk  River  rises  so  much 
as  that  a  quantity  of  water  equal  to  carry  an  empty  boat  is  added 
to  the  water  in  the  river,  the  water  on  the  bulk  head  will  rise  to 
nearly  that  height,  and  the  empty  boat  will  pass.  If  the  rise  be 
equal  to  the  water  drawn  by  a  loaded  boat,  the  boat  and  its  cargo 
will  pass  the  bulk  head  into  the  Canal.  It  is  evident  by  this 
arrangement  the  navigation  of  Wood  Creek  will  be  much 
ra  nded  whenever  the  water  in  the  Mohawk  is  higher  than  at 
present.  The  whole  expence  at  this  place  will  probably  not 
exceed  £3,000. 

Arrived  at  this  point,  it  will  be  optional  with  the  company  to 
extend  their  improvements  to  Ontario;  and  the  Seneca  Lakes  ; 
or  not,  but  as  in  the  present  state  of  Wood  Creek,  the  produce 
of  the  country  beyond  cannot  be  brought  into  the  Mohawk,  and 
consequently  the  company  deprived  of  the  advantage  of  the  toll 
thereon  ;  It  therefore  appears  to  your  committee  indispensible 
that  the  Wood  Creek,  in  all  its  extent,  should  be  improved,  by 


1096 


INLAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION. 


removing  the  timber  which  obstructs  its  navigation ;  probably 
the  expence  will  not  exceed  <£1,000. 

The  aggregate  of  the  estimates  to  complete  the  navigation 
from  Schenectady  to  Wood  Creek  is  .£39,500. 

The  committee  conceive  it  necessary  before  they  proceed  to 
state  to  the  board  what  works,  in  the  opinion  of  the  committee, 
ought  to  claim  the  first  attention  of  the  company,  to  make  some 
remarks  which  they  believe  not  irrelative  to  the  subject. — An 
opinion  is  entertained  by  some,  that  since  the  company  is  per- 
mitted by  the  act  of  incorporation,  to  divide  a  clear  15  per  cent, 
on  all  their  expenditures,  the  higher  the  expence,  the  greater 
will  be  the  profit  to  the  stock-holders ;  and  that,  therefore,  the 
improvements  should  be  made  in  the  completest  manner,  that  is, 
on  the  most  expensive  scale  : — This  appears  plausible  in  theory, 
but  may  and  will  probably  be  found  fallacious  on  actual  experi- 
ment, and  injurious  to  the  interest  and  reputa  tion  of  the  company — 
Injurious  to  its  interests,  if  the  tolls,  after  deducting  the  current 
expences,  should  not  amount  to  such  an  interest,  as  money  can 
from  time  to  time  be  improved  at,  and  as  the  legal  interest  only 
of  the  sum  above  stated,  which  supposes  a  complete  improvement 
in  all  its  parts  (without  estimating  the  expence  of  clearing  Wood 
Creek)  amounts  annually  to  .£2765.  It  will  easily  be  discovered, 
from  computation  founded  on  probable  data,  that  the  tolls  on  all 
the  Produce,  if  the  toll  and  freight  was  equal  to  the  expence  of 
carriage  by  land,  would  not  in  the  present  state  of  the  country 
produce  such  an  annual  revenue  ;  but  the  tolls  and  freight  ought 
to  be  less,  and  after  some  years,  considerably  less  than  the  expe:ice 
of  land  transportation,  for  if  not,  the  improvement  of  Hie 
navigation  would  have  no  beneficial  object  to  the  community. 
The  time  will  doubtless  arrive,  and  the  country  is  rapidly  pro- 
gressing to  the  point  when  the  quantum  of  produce  shall  be  so 
extensive,  as  to  support  the  expence  of  the  most  complete 
improvement  of  the  entire  internal  navigation  in  all  its  parts,  as 
contemplated  by  the  act  of  incorporation,  when  this  happens  it 
will  decidedly  be  the  interest  of  the  company,  and  equally  that 
of  the  community  ;  also,  td  prosecute  the  works  in  the  most 
complete  manner,  for  under  such  circumstances  the  greatest  per 
centage,  on  the  aggregate  expenditure,  permitted  by  the  act  may 


INLAND  LCCK-NAVIGATION. 


1097 


be  taken,  without  an  increase  of  toll  on  the  seperate  articles  : — 
Nay,  probably  with  a  progressive  diminution  of  the  aggregate  of 
freight  and  toll  on  each  article,  until  it  becomes  stationary  at  its 
lowest  possible  point.  But  at  present,  to  complete  the  navigation, 
on  a  scale  more  extensive  than  what  is  indispensibly  necessary, 
would  be  injurious  to  the  reputation  of  the  company,  as  it  would 
tend  to  burthen  the  produce  of  the  country  with  an  extent  of 
toll  and  freight  little  short  of  the  present  expence  of  land,  or 
even  water,  transportation  in  its  present  state  :  whereas  it  ought 
to  be  the  invariable  pursuit  of  the  company  so  to  conduct  its 
operations  as  that  its  interests  and  those  of  the  community  may 
go  hand  in  hand. 

If  these  observations  are  founded  as  the  committee  conceive 
they  are,  then  it  will  follow  that  the  exertions  of  the  company 
ought  to  be  directed  in  the  first  instance  to  those  parts  of  the 
navigation  only,  in  winch  the  most  immediate  obstacles  are 
interposed,  and  which  promise  the  best  revenue  at  the  smallest 
expenditure,  that  is  with  the  least  possible  burthen  on  the 
produce  of  the  country.  Effectually  to  do  this,  legislative  inter- 
position ought  to  be  solicited.  The  canal  and  locks  by  the  act 
are  to  be  20  feet  wide,  this  stipulation  was  inserted  in  the  law, 
under  an  idea  that  large  rafts  of  timber  would  descend  the 
improved  navigation.  But  your  committee  have  critically 
examined  into  this,  and  find  that  very  little,  if  any,  will  be  con- 
veyed— that  if  any  does,  the  expence  of  narrower  rafts,  will  not 
be  so  injurious  to  the  community,  as  that  increase  of  toll,  which 
must  necessarily  be  incurred  from  the  expence  of  such  wide 
canals  and  locks,  because  the  quantum  of  lumber  will  at  any 
rate  be  little,  compared  with  that  of  other  produce. 

The  improvement  of  the  navigation  of  Wood  Creek  has  been 
stated  as  indispensable. — But  should  the  company  find  them- 
selves incapable  of  extending  the  navigation  to  Ontario  and  the 
Seneca  lakes,  no  toll  could  be  taken  for  the  improvements  which 
may  be  made  in  Wood  Creek, — the  legislature  should,  therefore, 
be  intreated  to  leave  it  optional  in  the  company,  to  carry  their 
improvements  to  any  point  beyond  Fort  New-Port,  which  they 
please  ;  and  their  charter  to  extend  to  the  point  at  which  their 
improvements  may  be  arrested,  although  they  should  not  be 


1098 


INLAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION. 


carried  to  the  Ontario  and  Seneca  Lakes,  as  was  originally  con- 
templated ;  and  to  intreat  the  liberty  of  using  the  waters  of  their 
canals,  for  any  hydraulic  works,  which  they  may  erect,  without 
carrying  the  profits  into  account  as  any  part  of  the  per  centage 
which  they  are  permitted  to  take. 

That  if  in  the  greater  part  of  the  navigable  season,  the  naviga- 
tion shall  be  so  improved,  as  that  two  feet  of  water  can  be  carried 
in  the  shallowest  of  the  river,  the  charter  should  not  be  forfeited, 
if  in  the  other  parts  of  the  season  two  feet  of  water  could  not  be 
carried  in  every  part —  Because  as  the  population  of  the  country 
progresses,  and  a  consequent  increase  of  tlie  transportation  of  its 
produce,  the  strong  motive  of  self-interest,  without  any  other 
inducement,  will  impel  the  company  to  every  extent  of  improve- 
ment which  the  transportation  of  the  produce  of  the  country 
shall  indicate  as  necessary. 

Having  premised  thus  much  your  Committee  beg  leave  to 
observe,  That  since  (except  in  such  an  extraordinary  dry  sea- 
son as  the  present)  the  river  from  Schenectady  to  Scohara 
Creek  is  capable  of  considerable  navigation — is  still  better  from 
thence  to  the  Falls,  and  will  be  good  to  Fort  Schuyler,  especially 
if  the  trees  and  timber  are  removed,  That  therefore,  except  the 
removal  of  the  trees  and  timber  West  of,  and  blowing  a  few 
rocks  on,  some  of  the  rapids,  East  of  the  Falls,  nothing  further 
should  be  speedily  attempted  in  the  parts  mentioned  ;  but  that 
the  primary  exertions  should  be  directed  to  the  Canal  and  Locks 
at  the  Falls;  that  when  this  is  completed,  the  water  in  the 
river  above,  will  probably  be  sufficiently  low  to  clear  away  the 
timber  which  incommodes  it,  and  to  do  the  like  by  Wood-Creek 
down  to  the  Oneida  Lake,  and  to  remove  the  most  dangerous 
rocks  below  the  Falls:  This  accomplished,  the  next  in  degree 
of  eligibility,  appears  to  your  Committee,  to  extend  the  naviga- 
tion from  Schenectady  to  tile  navigable  waters  of  the  Hudson — 
Because  when  with  the  improvements  above  suggested,  the  river 
shall  be  rendered  navigable  in  the  greater  part  of  its  extent  from 
Fort  Schuyler  to  Schenectady,  in  all  seasons  not  so  dry  as  the 
present,  for  boats  of  considerable  burthen;  yet  the  portage  from 
Schenectady  to  Albany,  is  not  only  a  very  heavy  charge  on  the 
produce  of  the  upper  country,  but  attended  with  serious  incon- 


INLAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION. 


1099 


veniences  to  those  who  enter  largely  into  the  interior  commerce. 
To  prepare  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  apparently  very 
necessary  part  of  the  navigation,  your  committee  recommend, 
That  accurate  surveys  should  be  made,  as  early  in  the  ensuing 
spring  as  circumstances  will  permit,  to  enable  the  board  to 
determine  the  direction  in  which  Canals  are  to  run,  to  take  the 
necessary  preliminary  measures  for  providing  the  materials ; 
that,  if  the  works  at  the  FaJJs,  &c,  should  be  completed  before 
the  whole  of  the  next  operating  season  is  expired,  the  residue 
may  be  appropriated  to  this,  important  part  of  the  navigation, 
and  completed  in  the  succeeding  year; — Soon  after  this  shall  be 
accomplished,  the  company  will  be  enabled  to  judge  with  pre- 
cision, what  farther  is  in  their  power,  and  if  what  they  have 
done,  should  prove  beneficial  to  the  community  at  large,  and  the 
resources  of  the  company  be  then  found  not  competent  to  such 
a  perfect  completion  of  the  whole  internal  navigation,  as  is  con- 
templated by  the  act  of  incorporation,  there  can  be  little  doubt 
but  that  an  enlightened  Legislature  will  extend  its  aid,  to  objects 
promising  such  extensive  benefits  to  every  class  of  citizens. 

It  now  remains  for  your  Committee  to  venture  an  opinion  on 
the  mode  of  conducting  the  contemplated  improvements.  The 
observations  already  made  will  evince  the  necessity  of  strict 
economy  in  every  operation.  It  will  certainly  occur  to  the 
Directors,  that  in  a  work  so  extensive,  as  that  committed,  to 
them,  much  unnecessary  expence,  and  much  waste  of  time  must 
be  incurred,  unless  the  executive  part  of  the  business  be  properly 
conferred  ;  and  your  committee,  to  avoid  this  evil  as  much  as 
possible,  recommend  that  the  executive  of  the  business  should 
be  committed  to  a  single  directing  head,  to  a  man  of  known  and 
acknowledged  abilities,  of  a  mind  so  comprehensive,  as  to  com- 
bine and  form  all  the  arrangements,  with  a  minute  detail  of  each 
part ;  capable  of  foreseeing  what  will  be  wanting  in  future,  that 
the  supplies  may  be  prepared,  without  incurring  that  extra 
expence  which  ever  attends  collections  made  on  the  spur  of  the 
occasion ;  In  short,  a  man,  who  if  he  has  not  had  practical 
experience,  has  activity,  ingenuity  and  judgment  sufficient  to 
compensate  in  a  degree  for  that  defect — so  capable  of  profiting 
by  experiment,  that  the  artists,  whom  he  superintends,  may  not 


1100 


INLAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION. 


injuriously  impose  on  the  company.  To  engage  such  a  person, 
your  Committee  conceive  would  be  true  economy  ;  to  find  such 
a  character  is  certainly  not  very  easy  ;  but  it  well  merits  the 
attention  of  the  board  to  find  one  thus  qualified  ;  the  eyes  and 
the  hopes  of  the  stock-holders,  and  those  of  the  community,  will 
naturally  be  turned  to  the  directors  ;  It  is  therefore,  incumbent 
on  theru  to  begin  well,  to  proceed  with  vigour ;  but  with  that 
degree  of  circumspection,  which  is  Mie  result  of  mature  delibera- 
tion. Well  digested  arrangements,  steadily  and  unremittedly 
persevered  in,  are  capable  of,  and  certainly  will  surmount,  all 
but  perfect  impossibilities. 

.  A  Person  who  has  had  practical  experience  in  making  canals 
and  locks,  would  be  a  desirable  and  valuable  acquisition,  but 
such  person  may  not  be  attainable  in  this  country  ;  if  so,  it  has 
occurred  to  your  committee,  that  probably  the  detect  might  be 
supplied,  if  the  person  to  whom  the  general  direction  shall  be 
committed  was  to  select  two  or  three  of  our  most  ingenious  and 
best  informed  carpenters,  and  repair  with  them  to  view  the 
works  in  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  with  a  critical  and  close 
attention.  Canals  and  locks  are  already  formed  there,  and  little 
doubt  can  be  entertained  but  that  every  information  which 
gentlemen  are  capable  of  communicating  will  be  afforded  with 
alacrity  ;  and  your  committee  have  too  good  an  opinion  of  their 
countrymen  to  apprehend,  that  if  your  superintendant  is  a  man 
of  genius,  and  the  mechanics  who  accompany  him  men  of 
approved  reputation  in  their  professions,  they  would  not  after 
such  an  inspection  be  able  to  fulfil  the  wishes  of  their  employers 
with  satisfaction  and  credit  to  both. 

For  completing  the  works  at  the  Falls,  for  removing  the 
obstructions  by  rocks,  &c.  between  Schohara  Creek  and  the  Falls, 
for  clearing  the  river  from  the  Falls  to  Fort  Schuyler,  and 
removing  the  timber  out  of  Wood  Creek,  to  the  Oneida  Lake, 
and  for  accomplishing  all  this  in  the  next  season,  your  committee 
are  of  opinion  that  at  least, 

40  Carpenters  should  be  engaged  in  four  companies. 

10  Masons  in  one  company. 

5  Miners. 

1  Black-Smith. 


INLAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION. 


1101 


2  Lime-Burners. 

200  Able-bodied  laborers,  to  be  engaged  for  the  whole  season, — 
that  is,  from  the  month  of  May  to  October,  botli  inclusive  :  That 
the  200  labourers  should  be  divided  into  eight  companies,  with 
an  overseer  to  each  5  That  the  wages  of  each  should  be  stipulated; 
that  they  should  furnish  themselves  with  provisions  and  liquor, 
to  avoid  those  bickerings  which  constantly  result  from  complaints 
of  bad  provisions,  &c — That  each  company  of  carpenters,  and 
miners,  masons  and  blacksmiths,  and  each  company  of  labourers 
should  be  allowed  a  person  to  cook  their  victuals — that  each 
individual  find  his  own  bedding. — That  as  the  carpenters,  kc. 
may  not  be  able  to  purchase  provisions  in  the  country,  a  stock 
of  provisions  and  liquors  should  be  laid  in,  and  sold  them  at 
prime  cost,  with  the  charges  of  transportation  added  :  That  the 
working  hours  should  be  stipulated  to  prevent  controversj". 


The  expence  of  those  workmen,  &c.  may  be, — 

40  Carpenters  for  160  days  at  9s.  per  day   £2880 

10  Masons  do      do       9s.  —  —   720 

5  Miners  do      do       9s.  —  —   360 

1  Blacksmith     do      do       9s.  —  —   72 

2  Lime  Burners  do      do       9s.  —  —   144 

200  Labourers       do      do       4s.  —  —   6400 

8  Overseers       do      do       9s.  —  —   576 

Additional  pay  to  4  Master  Carpenters  and  a  Master 

Mason  160  days  at  4s   160 

Clerk  of  the  Checque  for  160  days  (who  is  also  to 
deliver  the  provisions  and  tools,  and  keep  all  the 
accounts)  at  10s   80 

11  Cooks  for  160  days  at  4s    352 

1  Surveyor  with  four  Assistants  (to  be  employed  when 

requisite)  at  40s.  per  day,  estimated  at   170 

A  person  to  attend  at  the  Falls  during  the  winter  to 
receive  the  timber,  &c.  and  to  be  kept  as  an 
assistant  during  the  next  season,  per  annum   150 


£12,064 

Estimate  of  tl^e  expence  of  the  canal  and  locks  at  the  Falls, 
from  the  data  given  in  the  preceding  report  and  annexed  map  ; 


1102 


INLAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION. 


the  quantity  of  earth,  stone,  and  rock  which  it  will  be  necessary 
to  remove  to  form  the  canal  and  locks,  supposing  the  base  of  the 
canal  to  be  10  feet,  will  be  in  round  numbers  about  350,000 
cubic  feet.  If  one  half  is  either  solid,  or  such  other  rock  as  will 
require  to  be  bored  and  blown,  that  half  will  be  175,000  cubic 
feet ;  if  then  one  miner  can  blow  one  cubic  yard  per  day,  it  will 
require  G500  days  for  one  man  to  complete  the  whole  blowing, 


his  wages  at  four  shillings  per  day,  amounts  to   £1300 

Removing  the  blown  stone  and  earth  out  of  the  canal, 
350,000  cubic  feet,  supposing  100  cubic  feet  removed 
by  one  man  in  one  day,  it  will  require  3500  days  work 
to  do  the  whole,  at  4s.  per  day  is   700 

Gunpowder,  brimstone,  match  paper,  brickdust,  and 
borers,  scrapers  and  primers,  estimated  at   500 

The  whole  of  the  dyking  to  be  made  by  two  parallel 
walls  of  four  feet  thick,  each  at  the  distance  of  seven 
feet,  from  the  inside  of  one  to  the  inside,  of  the  other  : 
The  solid  contents  of  the  masonry  is  computed  at 
150,000  cubic  feet :  A  mason  will  lay  of  such  work  60 
cubic  feet  per  day   1125 

One  man  to  attend  the  mason  2500  days  at  4s   500 

Carting  the  stones,  at  Is  for  every  20  cubic  feet,  for 
150,000  cubic  feet   375 

The  spaces  between  the  walls  of  the  dykes  to  be  filled 
with  earth  or  stone  ;  the  latter  preferable,  when  cement- 
ed with  quick  lime  :  The  solid  contents  to  be  filled 
about  80,000  cubic  feet  at  Is.  for  carting  the  stone  is. .  200 

5000  Bushels  of  lime  at  Is   250 


Five  locks  besides  the  guard  lock  will  be  required  : 
If  these  extend  each  70  feet,  and  the  projections  beyond 
each  50  feet  more  the  whole  extent  will  be  720  feet 
But  as  all  the  work  must  be  double  on  each  side,  the 
whole  length  will  be  2880  feet :  If  the  timber  be  12 
inches  squares,  and  the  sides  10  feet  high,  it  will  require 
28,800  cubic  feet.  For  bottom  sills,  one  to  every  3 
feet,  is  180  of  30  feet  long,  equal  to  5400  cubic  feet.— 
360  posts,  10  feet  long,  is  3600  cubic  feet.  Braces  to 
cross  from  the  interior  to  the  exterior  side — one  for 


INLAND  LOCK-NAVIGATION. 


1103 


every  four  feet  is  180  for  a  side,  or  3C0  for  both  sides, 
multiplied  by  10  in  height,  is  3600,  and  by  10  in  length 
is  36000  ;  but  as  these  require  to  be  only  5  by  7  inches, 
the  cubic  feet  will  be  about  9000. —  For  gates  about 
3000  cubic  feet,  is  in  all  46200  cubic  feet,  at  30s.  per 


hundred  is   693 

Filling  in  with  earth,  raming  the  same,  about  72000 

feet  at  100  feet  per  day  for  one'man  at  4s.  is   144 

500  Plank  of  3  inches  thick,  for  the  bottom,  at  4s.  is  100 
250  Plank  of  3  inches  thick,  for  the  gates,  at  4 

shillings  is   50 

Spikes,  iron  work,  kc   200 

Framing,  30  carpenters,  100  days  at  9s   1350 

House  for  the  officer  to  attend  the  locks  and  receive 

the  toll..   150 

Spades,  shovels  and  other  implements,  nails,  crow 

bars,  &c.  &c.  estimated  at   400 

Superintendent,  overseers  and  other  contingences,. .  250f 


Total  £10,53' 

A  previous  provision  of  materials,  implements,  and  store; 
being  indispensable  to  prosecute  the  works  with  economy  and 
dispatch,  in  the  ensuing  spring,  your  Committee  will  close  thii 
report,  with  a  list  of  such  articles,  as  they  deem  requisite  to  be 
collected  at  the  Falls  during  the  winter,  and  of  such  as  should 
be  prepared  here,  to  be  sent  thither  as  soon  as  the  navigation  of 
the  Mohawk  oDens  in  the  ensuing  year. 
All  which  is  submitted, 

Philip  Schuyler,  j 
Goldsbrow  Banyar,  V  Committee 
Elkanah  Watson,  ) 

Albany,  September,  1792. 


